Aging Prisoners' Concerns toward Dying in Prison

Abstract

Prison populations are experiencing rapid increases and many more offenders are dying in prison. This study investigated key variables associated with death anxiety among a group of aging prisoners. For this research, 102 respondents residing in a maximum security prison with a mean age of 59 completed Templer's Death Anxiety Scale. A regression analysis showed that age, inmate social supports, and a number of health related variables were important predictors of death fear. The findings revealed that fear of death is slightly higher among older prisoners than for similar age groups in the community. Qualitative information based on personal narratives found that some inmates see death as an escape, while others expressed fears of dying in prison or the stigma associated with imprisonment.